Zutarian Drabbles
by Lady Mondragon
Summary: Feel good Zutara fluff. Nothing angsty here! For angst, try Azure Concubine.
1. A Man Destined to Burn

Katara gets creative when trying to wake up a slumbering prince. Fanfic challenge

"A MAN DESTINED TO BURN CAN NEVER DROWN"  
BTW Nickelodeon owns Avatar. Nuff said.

Zuko" Katara gently whispered into the ear of a slumbering lump of blankets piled on the ground.

"Hmm" he answered still lost in his dreams.

"Zuko" she called again a little louder.

This time she didn't even get a reply only some random shifting under the blankets. She was starting to get a little annoyed with him. He would always tell her to wake him up and when she tried to, either he would bite her head off or ignore her altogether, wake up late, and blame her.

"Zuko!" she tried one last time to no avail.

"That's it!" she hissed and faster than lightning she was up. She walked over to the babbling brook and bent a surprisingly large quantity of water into an enormous glowing sphere. She froze it for a little bit before letting it melt.

"Nice and cold" she said to herself.

She quietly walked over to Zuko's lifeless lump and carefully positioned the sphere above his head. Still no motion.

"You asked for this" Katara muttered under her breath.

She released the sphere from her control and watched as the Prince sprang out of his soaked pile of covers coughing and gasping giving her a look that would make flowers wilt.

"I could have drowned you know!" he screamed at her.

Katara remained silent observing his tantrum from a safe distance.

"Did you not hear me peasant? I said I could have drowned. You could have killed me!"

Katara was still quiet an innocent look washed over her face as she started walking toward him.

"Dan you, are you deaf? Did you not..."

He found it hard to finish his sentence with Katara's tongue in his mouth. As she pulled away from him she whispered in his ear "Don't you know silly, a man destined to burn can never drown."

Indeed.


	2. Regret

No copyright infringement is intended. Avatar the Last Airbender is property of Nick.

REGRET

Zuko's face was immediately drained of all color. He had just gotten word that his father and sister had consumed white jade dragon tea and were dead in their chambers. As much as he hated what they had done to him, to his nation, he still mourned for them. They were his family; his flesh and blood. He regretted not being able to gain his father's love and respect or being able to have a relationship with his sister. Now he would never get that chance.

A barrage of thoughts flooded his mind. In his short life he had lived and suffered so much. There were so many things he had put off, two of which he would never get a chance to do. He felt regret, something he thought himself incapable of feeling. A pit opened up in his stomach as he wondered how many more things he would come to regret.

His reverie was disturbed by a knock on the heavy, wooden doors of his chamber. "Enter!" he barked. Slowly the door opened and two blue eyes peered from behind it.

"Fire Lord Zuko, I am sorry to disturb you but, there seems to be a problem…" she stopped and looked into his eyes, a small pout gracing her lips as she walked through the door. "If this is a bad time Fire Lord…" She stood before him and tilted her head, carefully assessing the situation. "I'll come back later Lord Zuko. I am sorry to have interrupted you."

She turned to walk out the door when she heard a strained voice call out to her, hoarse from disuse.

"Stay."

It sounded less like an order and more like a plea. Katara looked into his golden eyes, a lifetime of pain and suffering reflected in them. She couldn't say no to him. The angry North Pole diplomats would just have to wait.

"As you wish Lord Zuko," came her soft reply.

He was not about to let her become another regret.

Katara sat down on a hard, wooden chair, older than time itself, across his from desk and looked into Zuko's sorrowful, golden eyes. She had never really taken the time to look at them so closely before. She could see little, brown flecks in them, and saw they were full of regret.

"Is something wrong Lord Zuko?" She asked hesitantly.

He was quietly sitting there, giving her an inscrutable stare. Gods she was so beautiful. Her eyes were full of life and compassion. Her lips looked so soft and warm and utterly delicious; he wanted nothing more than to taste them, taste her – all of her. He wanted to take her into him and learn every inch of her body, to claim it as his. He didn't want to have any regrets, any could-have-beens to look back on. Not with her anyway.

"Lord Zuko, should I call the physician or get you some soothing jasmine tea? You do not look well." Concern filled her voice and he could see a hint of panic skirting her eyes. "I'm going to get you some tea." She stood up from her chair and walked to the door.

He stood up from his desk and she stopped dead in her tracks as he walked over to her. He wrapped both of his arms around her diminutive waist. Two large cobalt orbs looked at him in surprise as he bent down and gently tasted her lips. She succumbed to his warmth and deepened the kiss, feeling his warm, velvety tongue tickle her lips before invading her mouth.

They fervently explored each other's mouths, trying to memorize the tastes and textures of each other. Zuko's roving hands circled Katara's thighs and back while Katara's hands violently ran through Zuko's hair, disheveling his top knot, causing his flame pin to fall to the floor with a strident crash. Katara froze, and her eyes went wide with fear as she pulled away from him. Her eyes fell on the golden pin on the floor and she bent down to pick it up.

A rough, alabaster hand caught her small, caramel colored hand on the floor, and brought it up to the raging scar on his face. Golden eyes pierced sapphire and their lips met again. He lifted her up and she instinctively wrapped both of her legs around his waist. He carried her over to his plush, warm bed where he learned every inch of her body with his hands, eyes and mouth. Of all of the things that would come from tonight, regret would not be one of them.

THE END...or is it?

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I needed to get my mind off of something that left a bitter taste in my mouth. This is what came of it. I hope you enjoy. sigh


	3. Prettiest Amongst None

Prettiest Amongst None: Inspired by QuantumSuz' Gothic Fall Series Image: Prettiest Amongst None, on Deviant Art. She's amazing, check her out!!

Working links on profile page.

Summary: Katara and Sokka visit the FN as children and fluffy, Zutara/Tykka goodness follows. Canon-ish.

Nick owns Avatar. No copyright infringement is intended by me.

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The Air Nations had been completely wiped out 100 years ago, and the Earth Kingdom was being pushed back by the Red Menace, known as the Fire Nation. The Southern Water Nation was growing increasingly nervous as the Fire Nation threatened their fishing waters. In a last attempt to avoid being plunged into what seemed an inevitable war, Hakoda, an elder tribesman of the South Pole, requested a meeting with the fire lord.

His request for a meeting was submitted in the fall and did not receive a reply until the spring. When Hakoda broke the golden, wax seal on the bright red communiqué, all of the elders who had met to discuss the news, held their breaths. Hakoda's eyes widened and he sighed in relief before passing it around to the other men. The fire lord had agreed to meet with them to discuss a non-aggression pact. He would be waiting for them in six weeks.

It would take three weeks to get to the Fire Nation, so Hakoda only had three weeks to prepare to meet the fire lord and present a compelling reason to not have the Fire Nation usurp their land. Both water and fire nations knew who the victor would be in a war, but Hakoda had to give a different impression. Deterrence was the key to peace.

Those three weeks prior to their departure plunged the entire southern water tribe into a panic, collecting ivory and other rare luxuries that only their lands produced to present to the fire lord. They also had to make sure their sailing ships were in top form to make the journey. Sokka helped his father and the other men make repairs to the ship, while Katara and the other women stitched together precious furs to make a luxurious cape for the fire lord. Everyone worked their hardest knowing their efforts immediately impacted their future.

A few days before Hakoda's departure, Katara and Sokka asked their father if they could accompany him to the Fire Nation. He didn't answer right away, but after much mulling it over, agreed. He wanted his children to experience as much of the world as possible, and if this non-aggression pact was signed, they would need to understand the Fire Nation well. Sokka and Katara were excited and packed their best Water Nation clothes for this day.

Three weeks at sea went by quickly. A couple of times they passed large, iron, Fire Nation cruisers, but were not bothered by them. The children saw the expressions of concern on the faces of all of the adults as these metal ships sailed by, but did not understand why. If anything, they should be laughing at how something so smelly, ugly and heavy did not sink.

When they docked in the Fire Nation capital, Hakoda, his men and his children were all escorted to the fire palace by the palace guard. The Water Tribe adults kept a straight face and followed in silence while the children stared around, wide eyed, pointing and commenting on everything in their midst, much to the annoyance of the guards. When they arrived at the palace, they were greeted by Fire Lady Ursa, a tall beautiful, pleasant woman who showed the adults to their quarters. Hakoda insisted that Sokka room with him and that Katara receive her own sleeping quarters. Fire Lady Ursa gladly acquiesced and showed Katara to her room.

For the next few days Hakoda and the other men were busy meeting with the Fire Lord, leaving Sokka and Katara to their own devices for entertainment. They quickly found the courtyard and were amazed at the soft grass and abundance of blooming trees they saw. Their home was remarkably inhospitable and sometimes wished they lived where it was warmer. There was a pond with some strange furry, bird-like creatures floating in them. They seemed friendly until you tried to pick them up and their violently ill tempers flared, as Sokka had the misfortune of finding out. They had also met the Fire Lord's children, Prince Zuko and Princess Azula. Both were surly and arrogant, but only one had all the markings of a future tyrant. They had also met their little friends, Mai and Ty Lee who were not much different.

These children had made it clear that they did not want to play or have anything to do with Katara and went out of their way to avoid her, sometimes relishing how obvious they made it look. The same could not be said for Sokka who had gained some popularity with Ty Lee and Azula, though none with Zuko. Katara tried her best to smile when they made fun of her dark skin and blue eyes. From time to time she would even come up with insults of her own, but that never ended well. She tried not to let it get to her, but without Sokka's company, it was hard not to show how much their words hurt.

The prince rarely ever played with Azula and her friends. He was always training and generally avoided her and Sokka. She was relieved. One royal was bad enough. Sometimes she would see him walk by without glancing her way or even saying as much as "Hello" to her and she was a little insulted but attributed this to his arrogance. She never noticed how his golden eyes would often stare at her from a distance, or how his cheeks would flush as he walked by her, doing his best to ignore her.

Katara's silent torture at the hands of Azula and Zuko's secret admiration of the blue-eyed girl went on for a month until the two nations signed the non-aggression pact. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Fire Lord Ozai hosted a ball for the Water Nation representatives on their last day in the Fire Nation capital. Originally, it was supposed to take place outside, but a violent rainstorm suddenly assaulted the capital and the celebration was moved indoors. The children, who were normally separated from the adults, were allowed to remain with their parents.

Katara and Sokka put on their best clothes and were on their best behavior. After eating a strange and spicy dinner that was not to their liking, they were allowed to play with the other children. Sokka and Ty Lee managed to find a quiet, secluded spot where they could talk leaving Katara all alone. The few other children who were there took Azula's lead and were incredibly cruel to Katara. She tried to walk away from the mob of mocking children, pretending not to care, but they seemed to follow her wherever she went. It didn't help that she was the only girl wearing blue in a sea of red. In her efforts to escape the harassment she did not see the same pair of golden eyes that had followed her for weeks, study her. They were so subtle, no one but Lady Ursa seemed to notice.

Lady Ursa frowned at Azula's behavior and was on her way to reprimand her when she noticed the little water tribe girl bolt out of the room like blue lightning. She looked over to the prince and saw a look of concern wash over his face as his fists clenched and his eyes followed her out the door. Zuko glared at Azula, who only smirked. Ursa's frown softened and she walked over to her son to whisper something in his ear.

The wind was howling and the rain was cold and hard. It was pummeling her mercilessly making her face and arms sting. She was running as fast as her legs could carry her, feeling her leg muscles burn and her lungs close to popping, but she couldn't stop. Not yet. Not until she was certain she was far enough not to have anyone listen to her weep. She would not give any of them the satisfaction of knowing they made her cry.

She sprinted past the pond with the furry birds, crossed the pretty bridge and followed a walkway until she no longer recognized where she was. She found a small frothing brook and stopped a few paces away from it. The rain gave it an ethereal quality that captivated Katara. She kneeled in front of it, trying to draw comfort from it, but instead found that hot tears of anger and hurt were mixing with the cold, stinging rain. She sobbed openly, her tiny body heaving with every cry. She was getting soaked to the bone and her nice clothes were getting muddied, but she had stopped caring the minute the first tear rolled down her cheek.

She rocked back and forth as she muttered "I am not ugly, there is nothing wrong with blue eyes or brown skin" under her breath. All of the hurt and frustration slowly made its way out of her like a bloodletting would poison. She continued to cry as she whispered those words like a mantra until she noticed she had stopped getting wet. She looked around her. It was still raining and the wind was violently blowing. She was startled by a large, warm hand gently landing on her shoulder.

"I don't think you're ugly" croaked a male's voice. She looked up at the owner of the voice as her eyes widened in surprise and her lower lip trembled. His warm, golden eyes were a sea of calm in the rage all around them. He was holding an umbrella over her trying to keep the rain off of her as he got soaked. She moved to get up and he offered her his hand.

"Thank you," Katara managed to choke out as she took it, still in shock. The prince was glad it was too dark for her to see him blushing but he looked away, just in case. He could feel her cold, wet hand in his warm, dry one and it made his stomach clench. He was beginning to think this was a bad idea until two thankful, cobalt eyes caught his, melting all doubt away.

"I should probably return to my room," she said softly as she stood there staring at him.

"Do you know how to get back?" he asked staring deep into her deep, blue eyes. She blushed furiously. In her hurry to get away from Azula, she had not kept track of her path. She cast her eyes on the floor as she shook her head. "Very well then," he said authoritatively while he extended his arm to her. She took it and they walked back in silence under the shared umbrella with the raging wind howling at their backs.

When they got to the small pond, Katara stopped and turned to Zuko. Blue eyes pierced gold and a shy smile graced her lips. "I know my way now, thank you," she spoke softly as she looked away. She hoped he could not read the guilty expression on her face. She had recognized the path five minutes ago, but was enjoying the warmth radiating from him too much. He looked a little disappointed but only nodded. He handed her the umbrella and she took it, smiling gratefully. His heart did summersaults. They looked into each other's eyes and he swallowed hard as he saw her closing the distance. He could feel her soft, warm breath on his face which made him very nervous. Just as her lips were brushing his cheek he turned and accidentally caught them. Fire met water as their lips met. She pulled away in horror slapping him across the face before storming off into the dark of night leaving Zuko awkwardly standing there with a bright red cheek and an umbrella in his hand.

He angrily stalked back to his room muttering under his breath "Girls are crazy!" He did not see his mother's smiling, golden eyes watching him from a distance. Once he changed into clean, dry clothes, he quickly returned to the ball room hoping to see the blue-eyed girl. His eyes actively scanned the room but Katara was nowhere in sight. He felt a strange coiling in his stomach as he spent the rest of the night staring out into the rain. His mother only smiled at him gently caressing his unblemished, alabaster face.

The water tribe party returned to the South Pole the next day and Prince Zuko stood by his mother as they saw the Water Nation representatives board their vessel. When Katara walked past Zuko she stopped and whispered in his ear, "Thank you for saying I was pretty, even if it was amongst none." She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. The prince remained ramrod straight and only stared at Katara, though he was beside himself with joy. Katara was saddened by his lack of reaction but managed to smile weakly. Sokka glared at Zuko as he roughly pulled his little sister by the arm up the boat's brow. Zuko stayed behind until he saw the water tribe ship's white sails disappear over the blue horizon. Deep in his heart, he knew he would see her again.

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A/N

There is a link to the Quantum Suz picture: Prettiest Amongst None,that this drabble was inspired by, on my profile page. I did get her permission to use her title for this drabble.

I hope you liked it this fluffy piece. If not, I am sorry, but I did try.


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